The only thing Somali pirates hate more than not kidnapping people is “Oops I Did It Again” by Britney Spears–at least according to merchant navy officer Rachel Owens.

In a bid to deter the pirates from approaching supertankers on the east coast of Africa and attempting to kidnap their crews, ships have begun blasting the poppy oeuvre of Spears, including classic hits like “Baby One More Time” and “Toxic.”

“Her songs were chosen by the security team because they thought the pirates would hate them most,” Owens said. “These guys can’t stand Western culture or music, making Britney’s hits perfect.”

Of course, there are other artists the ships could use, but they’re trying to deter pirates, not torture them.

Said Steven Jones, of the Security Association for the Maritime Industry: “I’d imagine using Justin Bieber would be against the Geneva Convention.”